Archaeological Theory and Scientific Practice / Edition 1

by Andrew Jones

Overview

Contemporary archaeology is polarized between the technically competent excavators, who have sophisticated ways of recording, analyzing, classifying and describing their sites, and the social theorists, influenced by sceptical sociologies in science and cultural studies. This book defines the contours of each faction and argues that conflict between their aims and procedures is unnecessary. Andrew Jones instead emphasizes the process of interpretations, which is, in his view, the real concern of archaeologists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521793933
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/06/2001
Series:	Topics in Contemporary Archaeology , #1
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.47(d)
Lexile:	1430L (what's this?)

About the Author

Andrew Jones is a Fellow of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge University. He has worked extensively on British prehistory (especially the Neolithic and Bronze Age). Among his many research interests are the history of representation in archaeology, the role of art and memory in archaeological research, and the archaeology of animals and food. He has contributed to a number of journals and edited volumes. This is his first book.

Table of Contents

1. The archaeology of 'two cultures'; 2. Science as culture: creating interpretative networks; 3. Archaeology observed; 4. Materials, science and material culture: practice and narrative; 5. Material culture and materials science: a biography of things; 6. A biography of ceramics in Neolithic Orkney; 7. Making people and things in the Neolithic: pots, food and history; 8. Before and after science.

Editorial Reviews

' … this book persuasively achieves its aims and certainly deserves a wide audience.' Archaeological Journal

From the Publisher